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Salary: USD 200,000 - 275,000 / annual
Turion Space is developing critical infrastructure for the space economy through vertically integrated hardware and software solutions, including DROID (space vehicles) and Starfire (simulation, modeling, planning, and operations software). We are seeking an exceptional Program Chief Engineer to serve as the technical lead for missions utilizing highly maneuverable and agile small satellites, beginning with the GEO Space Domain Awareness mission set.
In this senior technical leadership role, you will own the technical architecture and baseline across all mission facets. You will ensure that all aspects—from requirements decomposition and traceability to mission capability verification—are properly defined, progressed, and documented to meet both customer and mission success criteria.
Key responsibilities include:
**Program Chief Engineering Leadership:** Serve as technical lead and authority for assigned programs, owning end-to-end satellite architecture and ensuring appropriate technical progress throughout the program lifecycle. Drive resolution of complex cross-disciplinary technical issues, making authoritative architectural decisions that balance performance, cost, and schedule. Lead teams through all technical milestones (SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR, PSR) and post-launch operations. Interact directly with customers and suppliers as the primary technical point of contact.
**Mission Definition & Technical Baseline:** Own and maintain system-level budgets (mass, power, delta-V, pointing, data, link, MTF) ensuring the technical baseline demonstrably meets requirements and technical performance measures. Work with mission stakeholders to define and refine mission CONOPS, translating operational needs into rigorous system-level requirements. Lead derivation and maintenance of system requirements with full traceability from mission-level objectives through system, subsystem, and component levels.
**Requirements Traceability & Compliance:** Establish and maintain robust requirements traceability frameworks to satisfy customer compliance documentation expectations. Author and oversee Interface Control Documents (ICDs) and all systems engineering documentation. Define and execute verification and validation plans (test, demonstration, analysis, inspection) at system and subsystem levels. Track system compliance and overall performance against mission needs.
**Stakeholder & Team Leadership:** Provide top-level technical leadership across the entire mission lifecycle, including space and ground segments, from proposal through design, manufacturing, test, and operations. Collaborate with and guide multi-disciplinary engineering experts across all subsystems. Work with internal and external stakeholders to ensure mission CONOPS alignment. Mentor senior and mid-level systems engineers, elevating team-wide systems engineering discipline.
You may be asked to support alternate shifts, extended shifts, and/or travel during peak work periods.
**REQUIREMENTS:**
- Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or related field
- 12+ years of experience in spacecraft systems engineering or spacecraft design with hands-on experience in satellite design and integration, OR 8+ years of experience with direct experience in relevant mission areas
- Demonstrated experience serving as a Chief Program Engineer or lead systems engineer on a complete spacecraft program
- Deep expertise in requirements derivation, decomposition, and traceability from mission level through subsystems
- Proven ability to own and maintain all system-level budgets (mass, power, delta-V, pointing, link, data) across the full project lifecycle
- Experience authoring and managing compliance documentation and requirements traceability artifacts for customers
- Strong track record leading teams through formal technical milestones (SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR, etc.)
- Must be able to obtain a TS/SCI clearance
- ITAR requirement: Must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. lawful permanent resident, Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State
**PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:**
- Deep technical experience with GEO Space Domain Awareness or other missions relying on highly maneuverable and agile spacecraft
- Deep technical experience in Electro-Optical payload design, integration, and testing
- Experience working with Department of War/Defense or Intelligence Community organizations
- 15+ years of experience in spacecraft systems engineering or spacecraft design with full product lifecycle experience (concept, preliminary design, manufacturing, testing, operations)
- Experience as Program Chief Engineer or equivalent role with direct customer-facing technical accountability
- Experience with Model Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) and applicable software (Cameo, Capella, Innoslate, or others)
- Experience with satellite analysis tools (Python, MATLAB, STK, GMAT, FreeFlyer)
- Experience with requirements management tools (Jama, DOORS, Flow, or others)
- Familiarity with customer compliance frameworks and formal traceability documentation expectations (government or DoD programs)
- Previous experience in a startup or fast-paced commercial space environment
- Current TS/SCI clearance
